Brookline Public Schools in Brookline, MA have a major problem with increased enrollment. They are considering the traditional approach of asking voters in the spring to approve property tax increases that would be used to fund expansions of multiple schools to accommodate the increasing number of students. The Brookline School Committee is also taking a non-traditional approach to dealing with this major drag on town finances. Recently there was a proposed policy that would exclude homes straddling the town borders with Boston and Newton from sending their children to Brookline schools unless they pay taxes on at least 50% of the property to Brookline. Under the new proposal, residents of a home on the town line must also qualify to register to vote in Brookline based on its location. If they don’t, the household’s children would not be allowed to attend Brookline schools.
